Flue-cleaner for stoves and ranges.



PATENTED JAN. 30, 1906.

APPLICATION FILED FBB.16, 1905.

HHH Ilm IIIIIIIIII l l WIT/VESSES.

NITED srATn's LHIIENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM JAQUES, OF ROYERSFORD, PENNSYLVANIA.

HUE-CLEANER FOR sTovEs AND RANGES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 30, 1906.

Application filed February 16,1905. Serial No. 245,870.

To all Lui/1,0711, t may concern.'

Beitlmown that I, WILLIAM JAQUEs, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Royersford, in the county of Montgomery and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and Improved Flue-Cleaner for Stoves and Ranges, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of the invention is to provide a novel simple device that affords convenient means for cleaning soot and fine ashes from the horizontal ilue below the oven-bottom wall in a stove or range; and it consists in the novel construction and combination of parts, as is hereinafter described, and de'lined in the subjoined claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specilication, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a sectional plan view of the body of a stove above the oven-bottom, shown partly broken away, and a plan view of the improved scraper device arranged in the horizontal flue below said oven-bottom and adjusted for discharging soot from the i'lue. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view substantially on the line 2 2 in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view substantially on the line 3 3 in Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a rockable panel that normally closes an opening in the bottom plate of the stove-body, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a cam employed and that is a detail of the invention.

In. the drawings, 10 indicates the body of a stove, 10a, the usual vertical flue at the rear end of said body; 10b, the bottom plate of the stove-body, and 10C the oven-bottom plate, which is spaced from the plate 10b and parallel therewith. A horizontal draft-fine a is formed between the plates 1()b 10, said flue having open communication with the vertical ilue 10a.

In the bottom plate 10b of the stove-body a rectangular opening b is formed, preferably at or near the longitudinal center of said plate, this opening being normally closed by a fiat panel 10d, having trunnions c, formed oppositely on the side edges thereof near the transverse center of the panel, as is best shown in Fig. 4. The panel l()d is held to rock in and open or close the opening b by the loose engagement of its trunnions c with small bracketboxes c', secured upon the lower side of the bottom wall and a side wall of the stovebody, as shown in Fig. 3. The panel 1.()d :is also furnished with oilsets c2 along the edges thereof, which form abutments which impinge upon the corresponding edges of the opening b, so as to render the panel flush with the bottom wall 1()b when the panel is closed, and, as shown in Fig. 2, a turn-button e is placed at one of the side edges of the opening b, which when turned over the adjacent edge of the closed panel 10'Ll will hold it in closed condition. An offset iinger f is formed on the lower side of the panel 10d at the edge which swings down when the panel is rocked to open it, this finger affording convenient means for turning the panel on its trunnions to open or close it.

It is essential for the quick and complete diffusion of heat in the flue a that a transverse partiti on-strip 11 be employed, which is common to this class of stoves or ranges. Ordinarily said strip is held. stationary, so as to extend diagonally in the bottom flue. In arranging the partition 11 for the accommodation of the improvement it is 'necessary that it be hung from the oven-bottom plate 10C, so that it may be turned up against said plate when the flue-cleaning device is used. To this end a hinge-joint g is formedv between one side edge of the partition-strip and the oven-bottom wall, as is indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 1. A preferred means for raising and supporting the parti tion-strip 1 1, so as to remove it from obstructing the bottom flue a, consists in the provision of a cam 12, which, as shown, is in the form of an oval ring having an ear h thereon which projects from one side near a straight edge on the cam. The ear h is secured upon the' side of the panel 101 nearest to the partition 11 when the latter is pendent and the panel is rocked to open it, and i-t will be seen that upon turning the panel on its trunnions the cam 12 will be pressed against the partition-strip 11 and rock it upwardly, so as to afford clearance for the reciprocation of the cleaning device, the rocked adjustment of the panel holding the strip 1 1 raised, as shown in Fig. 2.

At a point near the longitudinal center of the flue a and above the opening in the bottom plate 1()b a spur-pinion 13 is held to rotate in said flue. The spur-pinion 13 is formed with a central pivot 'i on its lower side and an opposite pivot i on its upper side, the pivot i having its upper portion squared to adapt it for engagement with the IOO IIO

socket end of a crank-handle 14, which is loosely fitted in a perforation in the ovenbottom plate 10C. f

A bracket-plate 15 in elongated form is secured by its ends to the under side of the ovenbottom plate 10c, as shown, respectively, at k and k in Figs. l and 3, and the bracket-plate, which is suitably depressed between its ends for the accommodation of the spur-pinion 13, is perforated in said intermediate portion for the reception of the pivot i, as is shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

Two scraper-blades 16 and 17 are provided for the removal of soot and ashes that may accumulate on the bottom wall 1()b in the flue a, and it will be seen that the scraper-blade 17 preferably has its end portions bent somewhat to give them an obtuse angular trend toward the forward end of the flue, while the scraper 16-that is, the forward oneis flat. Two similar racks 18 18L are provided as means for transmitting motion from the spurgear 13 to the scraper-blades, and, as shown, each rack is a flat elongated bar having a longitudinal slot Z therein, which extends to a short distance from each end, and upon one side edge of each rack-bar rack-teeth Z/ are formed, which extend throughout the length of the same. The rack-bars 18 18L are held to slide end-wise on the lower surface of the oven-bottom plate 10c by their loose engagement with the bracket-plate 15, which is formed with two spaced upright flanges Z2, each of which loosely engages a respective rack-bar in its slot, the body of the rack-bar seating upon the bracket-plate at each side of the flange. The teeth Z of each rack-bar are in mesh with the teeth of the spur-gear 13 at opposite points thereon, and said bars that extend oppositely are secured upon the respective scraper-blades, as follows: Upon the rack-bar 18 a depending arm 19 is secured by its upper end, as indicated at m in Figs. 1 and 2, and at the lower end of said arm the scraper-blade 16 is secured, having its lower edge at right angles thereto. The length of the dependin arm 19 is so proportioned that the scraper-blade 16 loosely engages the upper surface of the bottom wall 10b of the flue a when the device is arranged for service, and saidv arm is also adapted to hold the scraperblade 16 transversely in the horizontal flue c. It will be seen in Fig. 1 that when the rackbar 18 is adjusted longitudinally, so as to project the free end thereof into the vertical iue 10a, the scraper-blade 16 will be drawn across the transverse edge of the opening b, to which said blade is nearest. An arm 20 is secured by one end upon the end of the rack-bar 18a adjacent to the spur-geary 13 when said bar is adjusted to dispose its other end near the front end wall of the stove-body, and, as shown in Fig. 1, the arm 20, which is inclined toward the center of the scraper-blade 17, is secured by its lower end thereto, engaging the side of the scraper-blade nearest to the spur-pinion 13.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2,' the scraperblade 17 is disposed by its connection with the arm' 20 parallel with the scraper-blade 16, and said scraper-blade 17 is drawn across the transverse edge of the opening b which is farthest from the blade 16, when the rackbar 18a is adjusted, so that its free end is adjacent to the front wall of the stove-body.

Itwill be seen that normally the scraperblades 16 and 17 are positioned near the front and rear end walls of the stove-body, as appears in dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the panel 10d is closed to cover the opening b, as appears by dotted lines in the same gure, the cam-ring 12 being thus carried away from the partition-strip 11, so as to permit said strip to hang pendent, as represented in Fig. 3.

/Vhen the device is to be'usedfor scraping soot and ashes from the interior of the flue a, the panel 1Gd is released by turning the button e away from said panel, and the finger f is manipulated so as to rock the panel into an upright position, as shown by full lines in Fig. 2, which will dispose it at the center of `the opening b, that is now uncovered for the free discharge of soot and ashes therethrough. The crank-handle 141 is now engaged with the squared end of the pivot i and turned so as to rotate the spur-gear 13 in direction of the curved arrow in Fig. 1, which will slide the rack-bars in opposite directions and pull the scraper-blades 16 17 over the bottom wall 10b of the stove-body toward and across the transverse edges of the opening b, thus discharging the soot and ashes therethrough and cleaning the flue, it being understood that the cam-ring 12 has been pressed upon the partition-strip 11, so as to rock it upwardly and permit the scraper-blade 16 to slide freely below it. It is obvious that, if necessary, the scraping operation may be repeated until the bottom flue a is thoroughly cleaned,whereupon the scraper-blades should be adjusted to the normal positions shown by dotted lines in Fig. 2, and the panel 10d closed, so that the stove-bottom plate 10b is rendered practically intact, and the partition-strip 11 is restored to a pendent position for service. Then a removal of the crankhandle 14 from the pivot i will complete the operation.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that at any time it becomes necessary the bottom flue a of a stove or range may be thoroughly cleaned, and as the soot and ashes can be scraped into a receptacle placed below the opening b the operation is conveniient, expeditious, and cleanly.

Having described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The combination with two scrapers supported to reciprocate in the horizontal flue of a stove, toward and from an opening in the IOO IIO

' for reciprocating the scrapers bottom plate of said flue, oi' means adapted over said bottom plate and discharging clogging accumulation from the flue through the opening.

2. The combination with two scrapers supported to reciprocate in the horizontal Hue of a stove, toward and from a transverse opening in the bottom plate of said flue near the longitudinal center of said bottom plate, oi two rack-bars slidably supported in the flue above the Scrapers and connected therewith, and means adapted for reciprocating` said rack-bars so as to draw the scrapers over the opening.

3. The combination with two Scrapers supportedv to reciprocate in the horizontal iiue of a stove, toward and Jfrom a transverse opening therein, of a spur-gear supported to ro tate in the flue above the Scrapers, and having a pivot projected through the top plate of the Iiue, two rack-bars supported to reciprocate above the scrapers and respectively connected therewith, and a crank-handle adapted for engagement with the pivot of the gear for its rotation, thus reciprocating the rackbars and drawing the Scrapers toward and over the opening.

4. In a device of the character described, a bottom plate for the stove having an opening therein, the panel for closing said opening, and having rocking supports at its ends near the center of width, said supports oppositely engaging the edge portions of the opening, and the means for holding the panel closed.

5. In a device of the chiracter described, the combination with the bottom plate of a stove, having a rectangular opening therein near its longitudinal center, and a pendent artition-strip hinged to swing in the horizontal bottom flue of the stove over said opening, of a panel having rocking support on opposite edges oi the opening, whereby said. panel may be rocked into an upright position therein, and a cam secured on a side of the panel, said cam being adapted for raising the partition-strip when the panel is rocked into a vertical or open position.

In testimony whereo'l I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

VILLIAM JAQUES.

Witnesses:

AMBRosn I). Cox, J. M. LEwIN. 

